The Week of Youth and Community Centers Begins

A great week to get to know the work

Youth and community center activities will take place in Hafnarfjörður next week. The week aims to highlight the importance and value of these centers for children and young people. Parents, guardians, siblings, friends, and other relatives are encouraged to learn about the activities in their local centers, with a variety of events on offer.

“Yes, next week we will celebrate the youth and community centers,” says Jón Leví Steinsson, project manager at the Viti community center in Lækjarskóli and one of the many who work with children in the town’s centers. Here’s a glimpse of what’s happening at Viti next week.

A fun week to explore the work

“Yes, the week happens once a year. It’s always incredibly fun, and this week is a great way to get to know what we do,” Jón Leví says. For example, the youth at Vitinn will hold an open house for friends and family on Wednesday.

“The students will serve pancakes and coffee, invite relatives and friends, show them the community center, and talk about the activities and what they do here.” The kids spend up to three evenings a week at the center, making it interesting for everyone close to them to see how the work is carried out.

“They discussed whether to make Icelandic or American pancakes. I think the American ones won, less work than rolling them up,” he says with a laugh. “On Monday we’ll have a soccer tournament in the gym, and on Friday we plan to hold a speed-friendship competition.”

Jón Leví notes that an average of 50 teenagers attend Viti at a time, not all from Lækjarskóli. “We get many kids from other schools as well, since we’re centrally located here in Hafnarfjörður. The sports hall also draws them in,” he says, adding that the youth often play soccer and basketball there.

The role of community centers

The role of youth and community centers is to offer children and teenagers extracurricular activities with preventive, educational, and developmental value, tailored to their age and maturity. It is important to provide spaces for recreation and social interaction with peers in a safe environment.

Emphasis is placed on engaging children and teenagers in participation and active involvement in the activities. The program is diverse and developed together with the youth. Centers also organize larger events such as the Primary School Festival, singing competitions, Hafnarfjörður Style, and the quiz show “Do You Know the Answer,” among others. They also take part in nationwide events such as the Samfés Song Contest, Samfesting, and Rímnaflæði.

Community centers operate in all neighborhoods at all nine primary schools in the municipality. There is also a youth house at the Innovation Center by Lækinn and Kletturinn at Húsið, Suðurgata 14. The latter offers a variety of leisure activities for children and young people with disabilities. See the week’s schedule:

Young people enthusiastic about attending community centers

Jón Leví says the staff at Hafnarfjörður’s community centers agree that young people are eager to attend and enjoy the activities. “For example, we make sure to advertise the program here at Lækjarskóli and get our student council to help promote it. They are our cheerleaders within the schools.”

He says the most enjoyable part of working as a project manager at a community center is when the teens take the time to play and chat. “Yes, those are my favorite shifts,” he says. “We offer the kids a safe space where they can be themselves and meet their friends.”

Jón Leví himself has been involved with community centers since he was a teenager, now as a staff member. “We who work here often hear: Are you seriously getting paid for this? I always encourage young people to apply for this kind of work when they’re older. It never gets tiring. No day is the same, and everything here is about having fun and enjoying life.”

Be sure to check out your local community center and learn more about the activities!

• See the opportunities for young people here